


about colors and animal puns for names (or not so much)

by ColorfulWarlock



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec is a good leader, Alpha Magnus Bane, Alpha/Beta, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Animula, Background Melibelle, Background RJS, Beta Alec Lightwood, Discrimination Against Betas, Fluff, M/M, Magnus is a good alpha, Romantic Soulmates, True Mates, and says Soulmate rights, background claia, soul animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorfulWarlock/pseuds/ColorfulWarlock
Summary: Alec has barely left his office when he heard the trumpet of an elephant followed by the roar of a lion. Seconds later, a laugh from some hyena.He groaned. The new recruits were too damn loud.OR,A soulmate x omegaverse fusion nobody expected.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 43
Kudos: 414
Collections: Hunter's Moon Creation Exchange, Hunter's Moon Fic Recs





	about colors and animal puns for names (or not so much)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TobytheWise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TobytheWise/gifts).



> First of all... afjnakidnailofnaf sorry for the title. I'm bad at it, god.
> 
> Second, this is not beta-ed, so... don't mind my terrible grammar mistakes.
> 
> Third, this is one of my gifts for the Hunter's Moon Creation Exchange!  
> TOBY!!!! YES, YOU <3 The pressure to write something good for you jdnkdjnsknsk  
> I tried to squeeze two tropes here and this mess was born. I hope you like it ;_;  
> But see, there is no angst :D This story is just about a meet-cute in a very strange universe heh!

Alec has barely left his office when he heard the trumpet of an elephant followed by the roar of a lion. Seconds later, a laugh from some hyena.

He groaned. The new recruits were too damn _loud_. Thank the Angel for the permanent Silence rune in his office.

“I swear to Raziel that if it’s Jace who is riling someone up again, I'm going to put him on ichor duty for the rest of the year,” he mumbled, making his way towards the Ops Center. A purr that strangely sounded almost as a giggle caught his attention though, and the corners of his lips curled up.

Resting on his shoulders, protectively curling around his neck, there was a big cat with shiny golden eyes. His fur was black, but sometimes – with the right amount of light – it was possible to see a bit of blue sparkling around it.

Alec’s soulmate’s _animula_ \- known as small soul.

Every person in the Shadow World was accompanied by a soul guide - in the shape of an animal - made of a fraction of the soul from their soulmates. This way, when soulmates finally meet each other, the animal would immediately recognize the connection and strengthen the bond. Which sounds romantic and perfect, but in reality…

People hated it with a passion, especially Shadowhunters.

Because Downworlders could have other Downworlders or Shadowhunters as soulmates.

But Shadowhunters could only have Downworlders as soulmates.

History said that this was the result of a powerful curse bestowed by the union of the nine princes of Hell when, for a brief moment, all the gates from hell dimensions were opened. By dooming their children, it was their ultimate revenge against the angels.

Thus, generations of Nephilim opted for a life without love, only marrying politically to perpetuate their lineage. Meanwhile, this also caused some uneasiness for Downworlders who were rejected by their Shadowhunter mates.

Because yes, to make things worse, their second gender cried for a mate’s connection.

The selfishness of Nephilim and the eventual bitterness of Downworlders created a perpetual restlessness in the Shadow World.

And this was something that Alec was determined to change. Now that he finally reached the position of Head of New York Institute, he put his plans on the motion. There were still some people like him and his siblings who didn’t agree with that separation and just wanted to be with their soulmates.

Well, Alec didn’t feel he was going to be lucky enough to find his soulmate one day. He even almost agreed to a political marriage with a Shadowhunter called Lydia Branwell to honor his family name, but decided to wait a bit more. If Blue was any indication, having a protective and almost possessive nature, his soulmate could be someone that would accept Alec – as a Shadowhunter, as a beta – and love him heart and soul.

He wanted so much to believe that.

So, for now, he only focused in trying to change how things were for his siblings, his pack. They’ve already found their soulmates and were blissfully happy.

Jace had two – Raphael and Simon, both vampires. Izzy had Meliorn, a Seelie knight. Even Clary – a hurricane that crashed into their lives and made their hearts her home – had as soulmate a beautiful werewolf called Maia. So, Alec would do his damn best to protect his pack from more hate and discrimination.

Though, not an easy task for a beta like him.

See, betas weren’t considered special. Alphas were respected for their fighting skills and omegas for their caring nature and rareness. Betas were considered anomalies. They didn’t go into heat or rut. They didn’t get pregnant or had a knot. Not having anything special made other genders being skeptical of them. Betas weren’t to be trusted, and yet…

Really, sometimes Alec thought that he only became the head because Izzy and Jace never bothered with the rules and probably would destroy the Institute in less than a week.

“Blue, go make your round and put the others at rest,” Alec commanded as soon as he reached the Ops Center. The cat meowed and jumped from his shoulders to run around. It was a sight, really. Even being just a cat, Blue imposed more than any animal in there. Even huge ones like tigers or gorillas hesitated and obeyed before the majestic cat.

And maybe it was less the fact that Alec was the head and more due to the blue flames that he was able to summon. Usually, _animula_ were just that – animals. For some reason, Blue was special and could burn someone if he wanted to.

Alec loved him.

“Sir, the room is ready for the meeting,” Underhill handed over a tablet to Alec, who nodded in acknowledgment while checking the message board.

“Any response from the High Warlocks?” Alec frowned, seeing the empty inbox.

“Not yet. Are you still going to wait for them?”

“Yes. At least until it’s time for the next patrol,” he gave the tablet back to Underhill and called for Blue, who promptly came back and climbed him until reached his shoulders. “You already know where to take them if they do come.”

“Yes, sir.” Underhill then excused himself and Alec walked towards the room where important decisions were being made in the last days.

His idea was the creation of a Shadow World Meeting Cabinet. With representatives of each faction from the Shadow World, they could discuss important topics and try to reach for an equal ground regarding accepting soulmates despite the faction. He knew the Accords should change for that, but he would need the Downworld to be open for that too.

As the first step, he scheduled meetings with leaders of each faction to choose a single representative for future weekly meetings.

It began with the vampires. Leaders from different clans of New York agreed – though reluctantly – to talk to him, and in the end elected Raphael to be their voice.

Alec couldn’t deny he was a bit relieved since Raphael was one of Jace’s soulmates.

The werewolves were harder, and some refused to see Alec – just because he was a beta. And well, fuck them, Alec didn’t have patience for bigoted people. He was a very capable beta, thank you very much. Luckily, Luke – a kind alpha – was the chosen one in the end.

The Seelies were trickier, but the queen agreed to _think_. Maybe it was a good signal.

Now, his true headache was the High Warlocks. There were five – High Warlock of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Bronx. All alphas. He sent fire messages to all of them, but none replied to him. The only one with a plausible excuse was the one from Brooklyn since he was at the Spiral Labyrinth, and its wards didn’t allow fire messages, but a warlock called Catarina Loss promised to tell the High Warlock as soon as possible.

So, Alec waited.

Twenty minutes later, without any sign of someone coming, he was almost giving up when a Shadowhunter came to tell him that the High Warlock of Brooklyn arrived. At that, Alec promptly got up, a smile already blooming on his face for having at least a Warlock leader there.

Then, two things happened simultaneously.

First, Alec felt dumbstruck when the most beautiful man he has ever seen in his entire life entered the room. He was wearing a shimmering decorated black jacket matching a patterned blue satin shirt, leather trousers that should absolutely be illegal to be that tight, and suspenders that swayed elegantly along with his body’s movements. Silver rings, necklaces and an ear cuff made him shine as if he was a jewel himself, and his sharp yet beautiful makeup only enhanced his beauty.

Alec’s heart positively failed some beats.

Second, Blue dashed towards the warlock. And not in a threatening way like he often did. No, he actually jumped to Magnus’s arms and… purred.

_What?_

Blue almost never let someone else touch him. Besides Alec, the only ones he _sometimes_ allowed to pet him were Izzy and Clary. Once Jace tried and it took two iratzes to heal all the scratches on his face. And now, Blue was letting a total _stranger_ to _carry_ him.

_Uh._

Despite the shock, there was some warmth on the Downworlder’s face that Alec couldn’t pinpoint what was exactly. But before he could dwell further on that, a third thing happened.

Behind the High Warlock, a very big bear appeared – certainly his _animula_. Its fur was a snowy white, and there was a tiny black smudge near its muzzle which resembled a lot an arrow. Alec felt a strange pull from the creature, and before realizing, he was already rushing towards it like a starved man.

He buried his fingers deep on the soft fur of the neck, his forehead resting between the bear’s eyes.

It was like finding a missing part and putting it back together.

Like reconnecting with something he had lost a long time ago.

Like finally finding home.

_There you are._

Only when the high subsided that Alec understood what just happened, and with wide eyes he glanced towards his guest – who was looking at him equally surprised and fondly.

His soulmate was the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

The man, to his credit, just smiled and offered his hand.

“I’m Magnus Bane. It’s nice to know that the newest head of the Institute is a sight for sore eyes,” he wiggled his eyebrows, and Alec couldn’t help but snort at that.

“Alec Lightwood,” he took Magnus’ hand and again felt that pull from minutes before.

_I found you._

“Short for Alexander?”

Alec nodded, slightly shuddering. Angels, his name in Magnus’ tongue shouldn’t feel that sinful.

Clearing his throat, he gestured towards the table in the center of the room, relieved that Magnus conceded and followed him. He knew they should address the elephant in the room – or the bear and the cat –, but they would have time for that later.

He hoped.

“Thank you for coming, High Warlock Bane,” Alec started, forcing back his professional persona.

“Please, just Magnus. I think we are way above the formalities since…” Magnus waved his hand towards the two animals. Blue was happily curled into a ball on Magnus’ lap while the bear laid beside Alec, his snoot purposefully touching the Shadowhunter’s ankle.

“Yes, right,” Alec tried to smile, but he was too nervous for that. So, he did what he was very good at – he deflated. “Do you know why I invited you here today?”

“Something about a Shadow World Cabinet?” Magnus sat straighter on his chair, clearly also assuming his leader stance.

From there, Alec detailed his plans and everything he wanted to accomplish with it. Magnus listened with utmost attention, sometimes offering his own opinions here and there. When he finished, he couldn’t help a proud smile seeing Magnus’ satisfied expression.

“It’s something very admirable and I agree with you, Alexander. However,” he briefly glanced around, frowning. “Why the other High Warlocks aren’t here? I thought you had invited everyone.”

Alec hummed. “They never replied to me, but if the reaction of other leaders is any indication, maybe it’s because I’m beta.”

“What?!” Magnus’ voice carried such outrage in it, Alec almost preened. His alpha was angry on his behalf.

Oh.

Wait.

His alpha?

No. No no no. Not... yet.

“Those old fools. I’ll give a piece of my mind regarding second gender discrimination,” Magnus huffed, his glamour flickering for a moment.

Cat eyes? Alec tilted his head for a moment, then looked at Blue. Uh.

“That’s fine, I’m already used to that.”

“You never should be used to that treatment, Alec. Being a beta doesn’t make you less than an alpha or omega. I barely talked to you and I already know you are smart, stubborn, dedicated and a good leader. They should know better than judge you for what you are.”

Alec’s heart fluttered. Did… Did he deserve a soulmate like Magnus?

Clearing his throat again, he smiled softly. “Well, their loss. Since you are the only one here, you can officially be the Warlock representative and they won’t have a say on that matter.”

Magnus snickered.

“Darling, I like how you think,” he winked, then clapped his hands once. “Since we reached an agreement, I think we can move on to something more important. Introductions!” He took Blue on his arms again and kissed the cat’s head. “What is the name of this beautiful here?”

“Blue,” Alec said proudly, but Magnus gasped exaggeratedly as if Alec had personally offended him. “What?”

“Blue? You named this magnifique creature after a color? Something so bland? Where is the originality?”

“I was a toddler when I named him. I barely knew how to say my full name, how did you expect me to give him a more complex name?” Alec deadpanned, squinting one eye.

“But why Blue though? Black wouldn’t be more accurate?” Magnus tilted his head, curious.

Alec sighed. “Blue, at ready,” he ordered, and the cat immediately lifted his head, blue flames lighting up and floating in the air.

Magnus’ eyes widened comically, and Alec didn’t try to contain a smug smile. Then, Magnus lifted one hand and snapped his fingers. Blue sparkles came alive, ultimately bringing an equal blue flame to life.

Alec’s eyes lit up and his smile turned more genuine.

“It’s not common for _animula_ to have magic, even when they are from warlocks. We never understood why Blue was able to do that, but…” Alec shrugged, but the smile was still firm on his face. “Mom says that he was there to protect me since I was an infant. I don’t remember much, but I do know that Blue always summoned these flames to chase my nightmares away. I never feared the dark thanks to him.”

“Good job taking care of him, my dearest,” Magnus murmured, scratching Blue’s chin. A second later, he turned to his own _animula_. “Not so different from my overzealous Napawleon then.”

“What?!” Now it was Alec who gasped, almost choking with his own saliva. “You complained about my name choice, and named him Napawleon?”

Napawleon growled, but it was a low, smooth sound. He lifted his own body a bit, and then rested his big head on Alec’s lap as some kind of comfort.

Magnus grinned.

“It’s very fitting, darling. He is a fiery warrior and very protective of me.” Magnus remembered one time when Camille tried to taunt and coach him to have sex with her, and Napawleon almost ripped her head off.

That night, Magnus conjured a whole basin with the freshest fish just for Napawleon, and also pampered him for the next days.

“But you want to know what his biggest trait is?” Magnus wiggled his eyebrows again, and Alec found himself wondering.

As an _animula_ coming from a Shadowhunter, perhaps he was fearless? Clever? Eager to kill demons?

“That big boy is the best hugger I’ve ever met!” Magnus practically purred, and funny enough, Blue did the same.

Alec narrowed his eyes, but didn’t comment. Well, damn.

It wasn’t like Alec didn’t like hugs. Actually, he liked to hug Izzy and Max, sometimes even Jace.

Hugs were good, sue him.

“See, when I first met him, it was some morning twenty-something years ago. I’d just woken up and there was this cute bear cub snuggling beside me on my bed. For the first weeks, he absolutely refused to walk. I had to carry him everywhere. Then, he grew up and couldn’t be carried anymore, but he never stopped cuddling with me or hugging me. It’s the most endearing thing I’ve seen in all my centuries.” Magnus smiled, and it was so pure that Alec felt his whole face starting to burn.

Well, he could understand Napawleon. He would like to hug Magnus too.

And as if sensing Alec’s thoughts, Magnus grinned even more.

“What do you say about getting out of here and having some drinks? I’m pretty sure we have a lot to talk about.”

Alec barely knew Magnus and already found himself agreeing with whatever Magnus wanted to do. And even though as a beta it was more difficult to identify someone’s else scent, Magnus’ was so strong and so _good_ that Alec honestly felt lightheaded.

If he started all of this to help his pack to feel at peace and safe, now…

Now he would do anything to protect Magnus too.

“Lead the way.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have twitter, but you can always come to talk to me on [Tumblr](https://thelightofthebane.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
